Braves make offer to Glavine

ATLANTA -- The Braves made an offer to Tom Glavine on Friday, moving quickly to lock up a deal that will allow the left-hander to finish his career in Atlanta.

Just two days after meeting with Glavine's agent in Phoenix, Braves general manager Frank Wren proposed a contract to the 41-year-old pitcher, who likely will command somewhere between $8 million and $10 million for the 2008 season.

The two sides seem to be moving smoothly toward a deal that would allow Glavine to return to the Braves.

"We've made it clear that we want Tom back," said Wren, reached on his cell phone while attending a high school football game. "We made an offer, and they're in the contemplative stage. We're waiting for their response. They wanted to discuss it over the weekend and get back to us."

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Glavine, a 300-game winner, turned down a $13 million option to return to the New York Mets for a sixth year. He clearly wants to finish his career in Atlanta, where he pitched from 1987-2002 and kept his home even after signing with the Mets.

• Joe Nuxhall, who was the youngest player in major league history and the beloved "old left-hander" on Cincinnati Reds radio broadcasts, died late Thursday following a bout with cancer, the team said. He was 79.

Nuxhall's health problems multiplied in recent years but couldn't keep him away from the game or the broadcast booth for long. He had surgery for prostate cancer in 1992, followed by a mild heart attack in 2001.

Hazzard was dismissed Wednesday by state Attorney General Anne Milgram after serving 21 years as commissioner of the Athletic Control Board, which oversees boxing and mixed martial arts contests.

Hopkins, who as president of Golden Boy East Promotions is overseeing Saturday's fight between World Boxing Organization super-featherweight champion Joan Guzman and challenger Humberto Soto in Atlantic City, said he was "shocked and appalled" by Milgram's decision.

• COLLEGE FOOTBALL -- Prosecutors have dropped forgery and theft charges against Arkansas running back Michael Lee Smith, who was accused of using a stolen credit card.

A co-defendant provided a sworn affidavit that cleared Smith, Deputy Prosecutor Bill Jones said. "And I have nothing to dispute that and, therefore, am not going to file charges," he said.

• TENNIS -- Tennis players must notify officials within 48 hours if they hear any information about gambling or match-fixing under a new ATP rule.

The measure was approved during a three-day ATP board meeting during this week's season-ending Masters Cup.

Players are being given until the end of 2007 to report any previous gambling-related contacts over the last five years. Penalties for not doing so have not been determined but will probably be similar to the maximum three-year suspension and $100,000 fine for players betting on the sport.